This invention concerns snowshoes, and relates to an improved boot binding for a snowshoe.
This invention primarily provides improvements over U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,360, owned by the assignee of the current invention, that patent being fully incorporated herein by reference. In that patent, a snowshoe binding had a minimal lower shell or footbed structure and included two straps, extending from left and right toe stop positions at front, extending back in an intersecting X configuration, then each passing over respective loops on the shell at lateral upward positions, then returning to a floating “buckle island” where the two buckles were located (see FIG. 1). The two buckles were connected back to back with a short spacing between them and “floated” over the boot or shoe, generally above the ball of the foot and adjacent to the shoe's lacing. (The terms “boot” and “shoe” are intended to be understood interchangeably.)
The current invention encompasses improvements to the binding described in the '360 patent, to better and more stably engage the boot, to maintain positioning of the straps and in some forms to lessen the length of straps, and to provide greater convenience to the user in securing the shoe in the binding and comfort to the user in use of the snowshoes.